1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of semiconductor, and more specifically, to semiconductor packaging.
2. Description of Related Art
In semiconductor packages, devices performing specific functions may be included in the packages. Examples of these devices may include thin film (TF) thermo-electric coolers (TECs) or sensors. The TFTECs are solid state cooling devices that offer higher cooling density, smaller form factor, and higher reliability than traditional bulk thermo-electric coolers. By matching the cooling density of the TFTEC to the size and the power density of the heat-generating source, cooling losses and overall power efficiencies may be increased. Due to superior performance, TFTECs are used on semiconductor dice to improve the thermal management performance in semiconductor packages.
Existing techniques to assemble TFTECs on dice have a number of disadvantages. A typical process first deposits an insulation layer on the die. Then, an interconnect pattern is placed on the insulation layer. The elements of the TFTEC are next soldered individually onto the interconnect pattern. The region around and between the TFTEC elements is then filled with an underfill or sealant to prevent the thermal interface material (TIM) from penetrating between the elements. The process is complex, requiring several steps. In addition, the use of the underfill or sealant may diminish the TFTEC cooling performance.